Fast Living 3D Printing via Free Radical Promoted Cationic RAFT Polymerization

Small. 2023 Dec;19(50):e2207637. doi: 10.1002/smll.202207637. Epub 2023 Jan 27.

Abstract

The application of reversible deactivation radical polymerization techniques in 3D printing is emerging as a powerful method to build "living" polymer networks, which can be easily postmodified with various functionalities. However, the building speed of these systems is still limited compared to commercial systems. Herein, a digital light processing (DLP)-based 3D printing system via photoinduced free radical-promoted cationic reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization of vinyl ethers, which can build "living" objects by a commercial DLP 3D printer at a relatively fast building speed (12.99 cm h-1 ), is reported. The polymerization behavior and printing conditions are studied in detail. The livingness of the printed objects is demonstrated by spatially controlled postmodification with a fluorescent monomer.

Keywords: 3D printing; cationic reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization; photo polymerization; postfunctionalization.